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The news that a Birmingham jeweller who flouted hallmarking rules and has been fined £25,000 as a result, is a useful bit of promotion for the scrupulous majority in the industry.
Amjad Mahmood Yousif, trading as Crown Jewellers at 39 Formans Road, Sparkhill, was ordered to pay £11,281 in costs, a further £13,718 under the Proceeds of Crime Act and to complete 120 hours unpaid work. Birmingham City Council brought the case against Yousif’s company after Trading Standards officers seized 80 pieces of jewellery during an inspection on 28 August 2012. In total, 76 items were not hallmarked, including 11 which did not contain the correct level of gold to be classed as 22 carat.
Whilst it is a shame to see such fraud taking place anywhere in the jewellery industry, the fact that this story made the mainstream news is excellent for this sector as a whole: a reminder to the general public that the hallmark is key and that they should be looking out for it.
No jeweller worth his salt needs telling to evangelise about the hallmarking, veracity and provenance, but for every story like this, let’s hope it’s another 10 customers who enter the shop with a discerning eye – and are never tempted to err away from the real deal.
